In 5G and 6G, beam alignment remains an arduous, time-consuming process. Procedures are disclosed herein for rapid and efficient beam alignment, by configuring a phased-array antenna to emit a “triangular beam”, which is a wide beam that varies in angle from a high power at angle-1 to a low power at angle-2, with a ramp-like intensity variation in the region between the two angles. Then a second signal is emitted, with the triangular distribution reversed (higher power at angle-2). A receiver can then measure the as-received amplitudes from the two triangular beams, calculate the ratio of signal reception from the two beams, and thereby determine the alignment angle. In another version, the transmitter transmits two non-directional pulses, and the receiver detects them using a triangular sensitivity distribution versus angle. By either method, the devices can align their beams using just two triangle beam pulses, saving substantial time, resources, and background generation.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The first wireless entity of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic energy is first and second triangular beams are transmitted according to 5G technology.
7. The first wireless entity of claim 6, wherein the third angle is substantially midway between the first and second angles, wherein substantially midway comprises a range of 40% to 60% of the angular difference between the first and second angles.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first signal and the second signal are isotropically transmitted.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining an alignment angle comprises dividing the first amplitude by the second amplitude, or dividing the second amplitude by the first amplitude.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 16, 2022
May 9, 2023
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.